Not sure if it’s a coincidence or skilled timing, but the demise of Pleasure Island happened not to long after the gun issue a few years ago. It’s a been awhile, but if I remember correctly, there was an issue with someone who was local to the area who had a gun - I think. Again, it was so long ago and I thought that is was near the time of Pleasure Island’s closure. Someone who knows better, please correct me if I am wrong here.

We never spent too much time at PI. Always meant to - but by the time evening rolled around everyone was usually too tired. We did love the Adventurer’s Club - it was really the only reason we ever went to PI. I keep hoping they’ll re-open it somewhere else - the Boardwalk would be perfect for it. We went to see “Brave” at the AMC Theatre when we were there and yes - it does look sad. Hopefully when the new bowling alley opens up things will pick up - maybe they’ll even re-open the Adventurer’s Club. I sure do miss that place…:crying: Marching along we’re Adventurers…

I find very little reason to visit PI anymore. It was once a “MUST-DO” for us. We loved the Comedy Warehouse and Adventurer’s Club. We even loved the New Years Eve every night. I really, really miss it!! When we heard that they were closing these clubs, we had to take a last minute quick trip down there to visit one last time.

I hope they decide to bring back CW and AC someday!! The buildings are still standing…so there is some hope!!

Other than a walk through we were never able to enjoy PI in what it offered. On trips without DM or DSIL the kids were to young to tag along, and on trips with them when they offered us an adults night out we were just too tired.
Babies waking early made us morning emh rope drop people :happy:.

When PI first opened, you couldn’t walk through after a certain time (7PM maybe??) if you were under age. However, they had this walk around which to me was a great short cut to get from one side of Disney marketplace to the other.

I have no need of that worn out area now, and long for the walk around short cut they used to have…I really think more people would connect the two areas if it was set up better…it’s a waste of steps if you ask me…

We used to really love a walk round there when DD was small. She loved the fairground type stalls and we liked the music and some of the shops there. We also saw some great performers there, Robert Palmer, Little Richard, and some not so great -Hanson!-And then we met Linda Blair of The Exorcist fame at the movie memorabilia store that was also there. I was sorry when they closed it down, we had some fun times there.

We never frequented the clubs when they were still open and some of what was going on outside the clubs was not something we would purposely seek out but really, it looks like a wasteland and forgotten world out there. It’s nowhere appealing.

I am not really complaining, just thinking that they acted before they had the funds or the plans together.

[QUOTE=smallworld;1122614]When PI first opened, you couldn’t walk through after a certain time (7PM maybe??) if you were under age. However, they had this walk around which to me was a great short cut to get from one side of Disney marketplace to the other.

I have no need of that worn out area now, and long for the walk around short cut they used to have…I really think more people would connect the two areas if it was set up better…it’s a waste of steps if you ask me…[/QUOTE]

When we went you had to have tickets after 7 but I think the age cutoff wasn’t until 10 maybe?

[QUOTE=Dopey;1122616]We never frequented the clubs when they were still open and some of what was going on outside the clubs was not something we would purposely seek out but really, it looks like a wasteland and forgotten world out there. It’s nowhere appealing.

I am not really complaining, just thinking that they acted before they had the funds or the plans together.[/QUOTE]

Like Discovery Island and River Country, just left to fall into ruin. Quite sad really- I hate looking at River Country all overgrown and abandoned, and wouldn’t like to see PI like it either.

PI is being slowly redone. The night club aspect of the original PI was a response to City Walk. The concept works better over at Uni but IMO not as we’ll at WDW. Disney is branded as family friendly entertainment. CW and PI really killed off a lot of the local bar and club scence in Orlando so a lot of the local traffic along with the local crime gravitated to them so incidents like guns on property (mainly PI and CW), rapes, robbery, etc increased.

Disney has opened a few new restaurants and added a few more stores and a few entertainment acts haapening (I’ve walked through recently and they have had a number of different live bands and performers).

When we stayed in the townhomes adjacent to the marketplace (later became the Disney Institute area–then SSR) PI was a pain in the butt with their nightly NYEve party—well—that is if you wanted to go to bed before midnight. We would drift off to sleep only to be awoken by the fireworks and noise at 12:00!!! I wrote the usual letter of complaint to WDW, knowing it wouldn’t matter but felt that since we had never been there before, they should advise people staying that close of the midnight celebration. Remember not very many travel books and no internet research in 1990…and it was a new thing then so not much was known in the travel books anyway.

I actually received some free day passes to the parks for our next visit!! Would that happen today? Nope!

[QUOTE=tigger;1122626]PI is being slowly redone. The night club aspect of the original PI was a response to City Walk. The concept works better over at Uni but IMO not as we’ll at WDW. Disney is branded as family friendly entertainment. CW and PI really killed off a lot of the local bar and club scence in Orlando so a lot of the local traffic along with the local crime gravitated to them so incidents like guns on property (mainly PI and CW), rapes, robbery, etc increased.

Disney has opened a few new restaurants and added a few more stores and a few entertainment acts haapening (I’ve walked through recently and they have had a number of different live bands and performers).[/QUOTE]

When we walked through in August it was a pretty dull place—I do hope they improve upon it since they make you walk through the area…

[QUOTE=tigger;1122626]PI is being slowly redone. The night club aspect of the original PI was a response to City Walk. The concept works better over at Uni but IMO not as we’ll at WDW. Disney is branded as family friendly entertainment. CW and PI really killed off a lot of the local bar and club scence in Orlando so a lot of the local traffic along with the local crime gravitated to them so incidents like guns on property (mainly PI and CW), rapes, robbery, etc increased.

Disney has opened a few new restaurants and added a few more stores and a few entertainment acts haapening (I’ve walked through recently and they have had a number of different live bands and performers).[/QUOTE]

Pleasure Island long predated City Walk. City Walk didn’t open until 99 with IOA and the fully completed parking decks. In 97, City Walk was in the midst of the transformation from the parking lot to what it is now. Did you mean Church Street Station? On my first visit to WDW they had all the PI clubs in full operation. We went to the comedy club, and I was fully deflated by the experience. I want stand up, not group improv. The “New Year’s Eve” thing was really lame in my book, as was the band.
But I’ve got no idea why Pleasure Island 2.0 has turned into yet one more incomplete HUD urban renewal project. I just know I don’t like it. It’s a complete waste as it is.

When we stayed in the townhomes adjacent to the marketplace (later became the Disney Institute area–then SSR) PI was a pain in the butt with their nightly NYEve party—well—that is if you wanted to go to bed before midnight. We would drift off to sleep only to be awoken by the fireworks and noise at 12:00!!! I wrote the usual letter of complaint to WDW, knowing it wouldn’t matter but felt that since we had never been there before, they should advise people staying that close of the midnight celebration. Remember not very many travel books and no internet research in 1990…and it was a new thing then so not much was known in the travel books anyway.

I actually received some free day passes to the parks for our next visit!! Would that happen today? Nope![/QUOTE]

I forgot that! As you went in they wished you a Happy New Year and also at midnight two large beams of light were projected into the sky ( before or after the fireworks can’t remember) and yes it was very noisy in that area.

[QUOTE=Soundgod;1122644]Pleasure Island long predated City Walk. City Walk didn’t open until 99 with IOA and the fully completed parking decks. In 97, City Walk was in the midst of the transformation from the parking lot to what it is now. Did you mean Church Street Station? On my first visit to WDW they had all the PI clubs in full operation. We went to the comedy club, and I was fully deflated by the experience. I want stand up, not group improv. The “New Year’s Eve” thing was really lame in my book, as was the band.
But I’ve got no idea why Pleasure Island 2.0 has turned into yet one more incomplete HUD urban renewal project. I just know I don’t like it. It’s a complete waste as it is.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the history lesson. I thought PI was a reaction to CW.

CW and PI were both credited with closing down the night life in downtown Orlando in and around Church street.

I never thought PI fit with the Disney brand. I think they could make something work but they haven’t found it yet.

I had to do a little checking too, just to be sure what Church Street Station’s name was.
Anyway, CSS led to Disney changing the shopping village into DTD/PI in the late 80’s. Of course, Uni was coming to town at this time and once their park was established, they had to look at expansion. The CityWalk dining and entertainment district combined with a second park and on site hotels emulated the Disneyland expansion more than it did the WDW model.
Basically, DTD/PI started killing CSS and CityWalk put the final nails in the coffin.

Did it fit the Disney brand? I don’t know. Maybe they should have tried to stick closer to Pinocchio and actually used that as the excuse/theme to build a true Disney adult amusement park with an after dark adults only entertainment district.
You know, like my coaster kingdom idea with a PI entertainment district added:cool:

I just know I really hate walking through Urban Renewal Island as it is.